It had been a long, but glorious day. I spent time with a family that was sure to hold a special place in my heart for many years to come. The kids played while we laughed, and dined, and I assumed that I had met my new BFF until I read this…..at her sister’s Nesting Place blog…..the very next day!!!
“I’m starting a new club. It’s called People Opposing Objectionable Pretend plants In the Environment. P.O.O.P.I.E. for short. This is what I object to. Pretend ivy over the kitchen cabinets. Or, pretend ivy anywhere for that matter. Ladies, fake plants have come a long way since the ivy. If you are still using it, please reconsider. It looks bad. Your friends are too nice to tell you to take it down and move into the 21st century. My apologies.”

Emily – How could you do this to me? Did you parade on home and then howl devilishly behind my back to the Nester? Remember the biblical model of confrontation…just tell me to my face. I’m a big girl, I can handle it.
(xoxox
…P.S. She would never do this…but it sets up the plot, so go with it)

When I adorned these cabinets with ivy in ’97 , it was with glee that I jubilantly accented my too tall cabinets with these…


and then, better yet, with these…
because nothing screams the ’90’s more than enormous, fake sunflowers whose shiny plastic leaves shimmer from the glow of my recessed lighting. The problem with ceilings that are almost ten feet tall is that I rarely look “to the heavens” (my cabinets) and ponder the inadequacy of what lurks in the realms above.
Please note that for over ten years those lovely little leaves have gotten stuck in the colossal cabinet above….just like that pic up there…and it hasn’t bothered me a bit. In fact, I don’t think I have ever noticed this dilemma until I just saw this picture…right here in front of my face….hmmm.

So I’ve been pondering and have come to the conclusion that nothing ruins an awesome little bird house on top of some beastly bookshelves more than plastic-y, waxy leaves that burn the Nester’s eyes, hey?
Yep, another book shelf in the school room/dining room.
How’s that for a close up…dust and all. I’m just laying it all out here, ladies.
Another of my beauties.
“I wear my sunglasses at night….”


And how about color….I love me some bright, blue, happy, hydrangeas. I can’t grow them well, so I thought this would work, but I guess it doesn’t…..

These were truly what sat in my tub waiting to be rinse offed (because dusting just wasn’t going to cut it) when I read the Nester’s Faking it Post. This is about 6 feet (it’s a garden tub) of Poopie pandemonium. Yes, my 4 poster cherry bed now is very lonely, but I dare not place them back above our head for fear of the dire consequencees since I now know how hideous one might think they are.
Now can you see why I about spit out my coffee over this whole post?
She assures me that it was all on auto post, but I still feel a conspiracy among friends.
And the toss up is still between these two for which one wins the putrid prize…
Looks a little freakish Halloweenish just seeing those china doll heads there….it’s a striking curio cabinet stuck in a back sitting room corner with many other niceties on there….these are a few of the dolls that my mom gave me growing up…one each year for Christmas. WOW , was that a tangent…back to the toss up for the prize…
Please notice the marvelous macremay that was done with love by very talented hands decades ago, and if that doesn’t sway you, surely the delicously detailed mauve accents will thrill your sweet little contented heart on this tour.

One sad story to share.
I heart these urns and flowers on my mantel.
(looks pretty pathetic, and so very crooked on here, but really cute in real life. 🙂

The problem is that the real ivy died, and so did the beautiful fresh roses and flowers that were with the topiary. When they were alive…stunning, truly. I felt for a moment like a true interior decorator. They were the focal point of the room and every one “ohh’d and ahhh’d.”
But that was then….this is now.
I need help….I couldn’t bare to part with them, so I put fake ivy topiaries back in…I know…gasp….it’s embarrassing, but I thought if I was truly going to get this all off my chest, and confess, I might as well be truly honest with you.
I’ll get through it. Thanks for caring. I know I need to put them both down, but it is just so hard to part with something that has been such an important part of your family for so long and brought so much joy.
King Solomon says it best,
“There is a time for everything…
a time to be born and a time to die….a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
I think this is my mourning season, my blogging friends. It is my time to tear down..yes, tear down my fetid fakes, and then mourn…gleefully, because I now know.
No, I am not the Nester, nor will I ever be, but good thing she loves me anyhow…fakes and all. 🙂

I actually had uploaded all the spots in my “haven” where I am doing the fakes/real flowers right, but you know what…I am not showing them…by choice.
You will see many posts in this Poopie party where people are doing it right….here you can take comfort in the fabulous fact, that this one isn’t, and she’s ok with that and that it really doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
It’s all about Balancing Beauty AND Bedlam.